Chicago On Pace to Lose 1,000 Officers to Retirement, Resignations

According to city data, there was a total of 12,258 sworn personnel as of June 2021, down from 13,218 two years ago.

October 20, 2021

1 min to read

Chicago is on pace to lose more than 1,000 officers this year to resignation and retirement, the highest annual total since at least 2018.

And that was before the controversy over the vaccine mandate began to accelerate, WGN reports.

“There is a mass exodus,” says FOP President John Catanzara.

One caused, in part, by burnout and fatigue, leaving a smaller number of officers to fight a citywide surge in violent crime.

According to city data obtained by WGN Investigates, there was a total of 12,258 sworn personnel as of June 2021, down from 13,218 two years ago.

Fueling the decline is the 597 officers who resigned or retired through the first seven months of this year, nearly matching or exceeding the annual totals in recent years, data showed.

Topics:Officer Shortage Defund/Abolish Police Illinois agencies Police Unions Patrol

More Patrol

image of men on bicycles and women competing in martial arts and a log for the US Police & Fire Championships

Patrol•December 10, 2025

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility

The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.

Patrol•by Edited by Staff•November 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department

Patrol•November 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Patrol•by Wayne Parham•November 23, 2025

From the Show Floor: InVeris

In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.